Humanitude Care in Acute Hospitals: Evaluating its Effectiveness and Implementation for People Living with Dementia and Healthcare Professionals

<p dir="ltr">Introduction: This thesis investigates the effectiveness and implementation of Humanitude, a structured, relationship-centered care approach, for people living with dementia and healthcare professionals in acute hospital settings. Grounded in a pragmatic worldview and Kitwood’s person-centered dementia care theory, the research integrates quantitative and qualitative methodologies to address key gaps in dementia care within acute care environments. </p><p dir="ltr">Methods: A scoping review was first conducted to synthesize existing international evidence on Humanitude, which informed the design of three empirical studies. Study 1 employed an interrupted time series design to evaluate Humanitude’s effects on patient-level outcomes— agitation, engagement, and functional ability—over 52 weeks. Study 2 used a one-way pretest–posttest repeated measures design to assess changes in healthcare professionals’ burnout and empathy following Humanitude training. Study 3 adopted a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, guided by Proctor’s Implementation Outcomes Framework, to examine healthcare staff perceptions of Humanitude in terms of acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, adoption, and fidelity. </p><p dir="ltr">Results: Study 1 found significant improvements in patient engagement and activities of daily living, although reductions in agitation were not statistically significant. Study 2 revealed enhanced empathy and increased personal accomplishment, with a reduction in depersonalization among staff, even as emotional exhaustion remained unchanged. Study 3 reported high levels of acceptability and appropriateness, but noted implementation challenges related to feasibility, adoption, and fidelity in acute settings. </p><p dir="ltr">Conclusion: The findings demonstrate Humanitude’s potential to enhance both patient and staff outcomes in acute hospital settings, while highlighting the need for implementation support to ensure sustainable integration into routine care.</p>